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POLITICO 44

House Minority Leader John Boehner spent much of last week trying to persuade a stubborn Rep. Joe Wilson to apologize to the House — telling associates he needed to “get to” Wilson before the weekend to elicit an apology.

But as the days dragged on, Boehner had to back off: Wilson’s spine was stiffened by $1.5 million in campaign contributions, the Democrats’ anti-Wilson rhetoric had become increasingly extreme, and the South Carolina Republican was rapidly accumulating support from the conference’s dominant right wing.

“At some point, he realized he had no choice but to get behind Wilson because that’s where his conference was going — and he was just so angry that the Democrats had pushed this thing so far,” said a GOP aide with knowledge of the situation.

Like a surfer riding the heavy waves before a hurricane, Boehner, a conservative with a penchant for compromise, has spent the past few months trying to harness the anger of the GOP base without allowing his conference to veer too far to the right.

But never were the strains of that balancing act more apparent than during the Wilson vote, as the Ohio Republican tried to juggle his commitment to bipartisan civility with his responsibility to a besieged member of his conference.

“It’s very hard these days to be a leader like John Boehner who tries to find the middle ground,” said former Connecticut Republican Rep. Chris Shays, one of the last Northeastern moderates, who was beaten by Democrat Jim Himes last year.

“He’s a conservative, but he’s less conservative than his base,” Shays added. “And he’s got to lead a party that has been so battered and beaten that it’s incredibly angry — angry at what’s going on in the country, angry at the way it’s being treated by the majority.”

On Tuesday, Boehner — who had worked with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) to avoid an ugly confrontation over Wilson’s “resolution of disapproval” — took to the floor to accuse the Democrats of a “publicity stunt” in pushing for a Wilson reprimand. But many observers, including Republicans, noted that the leader, a wise-cracking chain smoker who sometimes finds it hard to mask his emotions, seemed just as disgusted with Wilson, making little eye contact with the man he was supposed to be defending.

Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said his boss has no conflict with Wilson — and that the House GOP’s complaints about President Barack Obama’s programs represent the concerns of the wider public and not just conservatives.

Boehner will have a hard time trying to steer things since the base is very angry that they lost the election. He will realize that the base wants to turn to extreme right that it will turn off the independents and moderates. Notice there are no moderates within the GOP except for two all because various groups such as Club for Growth, Grover Norquist's organization are keeping on the heat by fielding candidates that wins the primary but lose the general election and eventually Boehner will have to deal with them or they will get mad and find someone else to garner their support. It doesn't help when there are those within the party such as Michele Bachman who has a view that are too extreme for the electorate but he also have to deal with them as well.

What I don't like about Boehner that he is waffling between two sides rather than standing for what he believe in. He needs to get real about using false points about hot button issues rather than working to get something that will be amendable to all sides.

My question: Where is Romney? This should be a perfect opportunity for him to step up,talk about the Health Care program he innitiated in his state,what worked,what didn,t work and why.Be a man be a leader,stand up and admit the the failures if there are any.....If not,then "Go AwaY" there is no place for you in leadership if you keep hiding!

Honesty , integrity , and justice must not be limited in any quarter of the government .

Corruption in our government must be eliminated at every turn .

Democrats , Moderates , Republicans and all of those that make up the government of

' We the people ' are responsible for our own democracy and liberty .

I agree with that. Bush and his cronies Republicans get us into war for no reason, added $8 trillions to the national debt, gave tax-breaks for the rich, and created 100 billions in tax-loopholes for the corporations.

I am not going to defend Jefferson becasue he is a Democrat. He should rote in jail

Honesty , integrity , and justice must not be limited in any quarter of the government .

Corruption in our government must be eliminated at every turn .

Democrats , Moderates , Republicans and all of those that make up the government of

' We the people ' are responsible for our own democracy and liberty .

I agree with that. Bush and his cronies Republicans get us into war for no reason, added $8 trillions to the national debt, gave tax-breaks for the rich, and created 100 billions in tax-loopholes for the corporations.

I am not going to defend Jefferson becasue he is a Democrat. He should rote in jail

ANN&MITT: Sep. 17, 2009 - 6:57 AM EST

ANN&MITT

Party: ConservativeReply #5

Sep. 17, 2009 - 6:57 AM EST* * * * * * * * * * * * *

As an unaffiliated Centrist the APPALLING ODOR at this point is coming from

Obama , Pelosi , and Reid making a hard left into Socialism .

The last I checked We the people don't want to go there .

You call anyone socialist who disagrees with you. Every major multinaitonal is in China.

Honesty , integrity , and justice must not be limited in any quarter of the government .

Corruption in our government must be eliminated at every turn .

Democrats , Moderates , Republicans and all of those that make up the government of

' We the people ' are responsible for our own democracy and liberty .

I agree with that. Bush and his cronies Republicans get us into war for no reason, added $8 trillions to the national debt, gave tax-breaks for the rich, and created 100 billions in tax-loopholes for the corporations.

I am not going to defend Jefferson becasue he is a Democrat. He should rote in jail

ANN&MITT: Sep. 17, 2009 - 6:57 AM EST

ANN&MITT

Party: ConservativeReply #5

Sep. 17, 2009 - 6:57 AM EST* * * * * * * * * * * * *

As an unaffiliated Centrist the APPALLING ODOR at this point is coming from

Obama , Pelosi , and Reid making a hard left into Socialism .

The last I checked We the people don't want to go there .

You call anyone socialist who disagrees with you. Every major multinaitonal is in China.

hoplite: Sep. 17, 2009 - 7:04 AM EST

hoplite

Party: RepublicanReply #6

Sep. 17, 2009 - 7:04 AM ESTA political movement without a leader.

A leader who wants to get in front of the parade.

It is all about Political Freedom. There is too much government control.

Honesty , integrity , and justice must not be limited in any quarter of the government .

Corruption in our government must be eliminated at every turn .

Democrats , Moderates , Republicans and all of those that make up the government of

' We the people ' are responsible for our own democracy and liberty .

I agree with that. Bush and his cronies Republicans get us into war for no reason, added $8 trillions to the national debt, gave tax-breaks for the rich, and created 100 billions in tax-loopholes for the corporations.

I am not going to defend Jefferson becasue he is a Democrat. He should rote in jail

ANN&MITT: Sep. 17, 2009 - 6:57 AM EST

ANN&MITT

Party: ConservativeReply #5

Sep. 17, 2009 - 6:57 AM EST* * * * * * * * * * * * *

As an unaffiliated Centrist the APPALLING ODOR at this point is coming from

Obama , Pelosi , and Reid making a hard left into Socialism .

The last I checked We the people don't want to go there .

You call anyone socialist who disagrees with you. Every major multinaitonal is in China.

hoplite: Sep. 17, 2009 - 7:04 AM EST

hoplite

Party: RepublicanReply #6

Sep. 17, 2009 - 7:04 AM ESTA political movement without a leader.

A leader who wants to get in front of the parade.

It is all about Political Freedom. There is too much government control.

Can the pubs serve the movement?

I doubt the movement desires to serve the pubs.

Gosh, but I miss Reagan.

What you call Free Markets, i call legalized corruption.

soldotnastan: Sep. 17, 2009 - 7:10 AM EST

soldotnastan

Party: RepublicanReply #7

Sep. 17, 2009 - 7:10 AM ESTGlen are you attempting to turn the Democratic colossal waste of time trying to destroy Wilson into a victory by saying the republican base is in disarray, please.

That was a lifetime ago, now they are trashing czars.

Are you yet to find out that you lost the war. If you want Rush,hannity,Glenn and Bacchman to the face of the Republican party, you will lose again.

I will be voting the straight Republican ticket here in Florida in the upcoming mid-term election. However, I wish someone a lot more dynamic than Boehner would lead the Republicans. He just seems to be a younger version of Bob Dole .... willing to "compromise" at every turn no matter how stupid and idiotic the legislation .... such as everything Obama/Pelosi/Reid has pushed so far, including this idiotic health care so-called "reform" package.

However, I wish someone a lot more dynamic than Boehner would lead the Republicans. He just seems to be a younger version of Bob Dole .... willing to "compromise" at every turn no matter how stupid and idiotic the legislation .... such as everything Obama/Pelosi/Reid has pushed so far, including this idiotic health care so-called "reform" package.

I like Boehner.

He spoke on the floor for nearly 4 hours to point out what's really in the House CAP AND TAX BILL.

He also has let Americans know what's really in the Piglosi's H.R. 3200.

The mainstream media always tries to tell Republicans they better be careful and move things more to the middle. But the middle is moderate, not conservative. Conservaties will always lose with the Doles, McCains, and Boehners. With most Amercians, according to a recent poll, ( even in Massachusetts, Vermont, and Hawaii), still identifying themselves as conservatives rather than liberals, the GOP should be pushing to move more right, not more to the middle. This is what the mainstream media fears and this is why they hate Palin so much. It seems like the time is ripe for someone who has the ability to cause populist stirrings to arise as the main challenger to Obama. Huckabee might be that person.